


A Tyrant's Nightmare.

by DrAwesome2000



Category: Persona 5, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012)
Genre: Blood and Violence, Brutality, But only for the thieves, F/M, Fear, Hamato Thieves Universe, He doesn't deserve it, I don't regret this, No happy ending for Shido, Nobody feels sorry for Shido, Perhaps in future chapters, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Psychological Trauma, Revenge, Sexual Content, Team Bonding, Team as Family, There's Shumako but is not the main focus, still..., there's a happy ending, what have I done?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-30
Updated: 2020-11-02
Packaged: 2021-03-06 20:27:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 14,638
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26184925
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DrAwesome2000/pseuds/DrAwesome2000
Summary: Masayoshi Shido underestimated the Phantom Thieves. And a new fear will make him regret everything....for the rest of his life.TW: Psychological trauma, graphic violence and a bit of teenage consensual sex (Ch. 3). If you dislike such content, please go elsewhere.
Relationships: Kurusu Akira & Rocksteady (TMNT), Kurusu Akira/Niijima Makoto, Niijima Makoto/Persona 5 Protagonist, Persona 5 Protagonist & Rocksteady (TMNT)
Kudos: 6





	1. The Nightmare Begins...

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is, a Shido hate-fic. Because I hate that shitbag.
> 
> But perhaps I went too far with this...

**December 12, 2016.**

For most people, this was just another day in the calendar. Just twelve more days and they could celebrate Christmas Eve. Some other people were waiting for the elections, which were going to happen in another six days. But for the Phantom Thieves of Hearts, this day was an extremely important one for one simple reason.

Today was the day of reckoning with Masayoshi Shido.

After managing to help Joker escape from the police station, the Phantom Thieves found out that Shido is the mastermind of the political conspiracy that planned to control all of Japan via mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns by using and manipulating Goro Akechi and the Metaverse. After finally connecting the dots of the info they got before and during infiltrating his palace, the Phantom Thieves were more than determined to put an end to that bastard’s conspiracy and not because of a lack of reasons.

One; Shido is the true responsible for all the mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns that terrorized Tokyo for almost three years; Including the murder of Wakaba Isshiki (Futaba’s Mother) and Kunikazu Okumura (Haru’s Father). Sure, it was Goro Akechi who murdered them, but it was Shido’s distorted ambition that guided his murderous hand.

Two; The thieves were beyond disgusted by how he was planning to get rid of Akechi, his own son, and put all the blame of all of these disastrous assassinations on him without any hint of remorse. Akechi made Joker promise to put an end to Shido’s crimes in his stead before his fate became unknown after losing to the thieves in the engine room.

Three: The interrogation. Thanks to that, Akira ended up with PTSD: he panics whenever he is bound with handcuffs, either real or fake. Not to the point where he loses control and screams as loud as he can due to the fear of getting brutalized again, but he does get pretty nervous. Even the mention of the word “handcuffs” causes him to get noticeable uncomfortable. Also, he gained the habit of rubbing his wrists whenever he was seriously stressed (that actually doesn’t happen very often, but still!).

Four: All of the thieves were shocked when they found out that Shido was the responsible of Akira’s arrest and probation in Tokyo. While all of the thieves were determined to avenge their leader for all the bullshit he’s been put through because of Shido, Akira actually had mixed feelings about this, and the others of course understood it.

Akira of course was really pissed when he found out an ignorant piece of rotten garbage like Shido was the reason he came to Tokyo as a criminal. However, as strange as it sounds, he knew this probation turned out to be a blessing in its own way. Of course he has no regrets for saving that woman from Shido, but still. If it weren’t for that, Akira would’ve never met the other thieves.

Ryuji Sakamoto, Ann Takamaki, Morgana, Yusuke Kitagawa, Futaba Sakura, Haru Okumura, Anton “Bebop” Zeck, Ivan “Rocksteady” Steranko, Sojiro Sakura, Sae Niijima, Yoshi “Splinter” Hamato and all of his confidants helped him realize that even an outcast like him had a place to belong after all. He was beyond thankful that all of those people helped him find a second chance in life despite his criminal record, but there was one person who caused his heart to soar in absolute bliss and a goofy smile to grow on his face whenever he even just thought about her.

His study partner in both love and life: Makoto Niijima.

And now, with his friends and girlfriend at his side, Akira knew Shido’s reign of cognitive terror ends today!

They hated to admit it, but that bald bastard actually managed to put up a fight with the aid of his “ ** _Beast of Human Sacrifices_** ”, which later grew wings and then turned into some sort of pyramid. However, Oracle could quickly find the beast’s affinity and help the thieves telegraph its moves. That and with staying on their toes, they defeated the golden monster.

After that, Shido found out that events in life can work in a very interesting way. Right before preparing to fight the thieves by himself, Shido realized that Akira Amamiya-Kurusu, the leader of the Phantom Thieves was actually the boy he sued for standing up to the drunken bastard when he was harassing a woman in Inaba back in April. Despite he scoffed at such fact, he had to reluctantly accept that it was indeed interesting that the kid whose life Shido thought he ruined was now trying to ruin his. But of course, that arrogant shitbag though it was beyond impossible. There was no way a bunch of brats, a talking cat and two mutant idiots could ruin his dream of steering Japan as his own ship, right?

…right?

Shido had (again) to reluctantly accept that the Phantom Thieves were a force to be reckoned with. 

The following battle was a bitch for the Thieves. And a bitch AND a half for Shido himself. **Masayoshi Samael Shido’s** attacks were only about brute force. Consisting of the following: **Bloodbath** , **Tyrant’s fist** , **Heat Riser** and a special move called **Tyrant’s Purge** : a physical attack with a chance to automatically knock his target out despite their condition to fight. He actually managed to land a few hits with it, but the shock was evident on his face when he saw the thieves who received the attack actually endured it instead of falling unconscious. And he used that attack quite a lot- Combining **Debilitate** for Shido and constant Kaja and healing spells to the thieves along with the fact that Shadow Shido was actually quite slow already because of his ridiculously huge musculature didn’t help the shadow tyrant at all. With their coordinated efforts and those facts they defeated Samael.

…or at least that’s what they thought before seeing Shido unleashing all of his power as **True Samael.**

Along with the aforementioned attacks, the bald bastard had now elemental spells, **Masukunda** , **Tyrant’s Glare** to increase his turn account, **Tyrant’s Judgment** : a powerful Bless attack, **Debilitate** , **Tyrant’s Wave** : an even more powerful Almighty attack and even **Mudoon** and **Hamaon** : Instant-kill spells.

Even though, with their determination and the same facts used with his former Samael form, the thieves managed to critically weaken him in no time.

…But of course, Shido wasn’t going to lose to some petty thieves.

**Shido:** _To think… you’d put up this much of a fight…_

With the most menacing scowl he could muster, Shadow Shido focused a lot of energy in his right fist, which was as tightened as possible. 

**Shido:** _…you bastard… I won’t let you have this!_

Enraged, True Samael lands a powerful punch on the floor, releasing a wave of energy so powerful, it sent the rest of the Phantom Thieves surrounding him away from the battlefield, leaving only Joker to deal with him and Oracle as the only support he has. A ring of blue fire quickly formed around a wide area, trapping the thief leader with the tyrant shadow. The other Phantom Thieves could do nothing but to stare at the fire while hoping for the best. 

**Makoto:** _Oh my god, Joker!_

**Ann:** _Is he trapped in there with Shido!?_

**Ryuji:** _Dammit, we hafta do somethin’!_

While the others were desperate to find a way to go back to the battlefield, Noir noticed Mona was looking around a bit confused.

**Haru:** _Is something wrong, Mona-Chan?_

The non-cat turns back to the Okumura Heiress with eyes wide in worry.

**Morgana:** _Yeah… Where’s Diamond!?_

**Yusuke:** _Diamond…? Don’t tell me he’s…_

**Bebop:** _Don’t worry, y’all, I got this!_

Pumpkin quickly scanned his surroundings with his techno-goggles. The ring of fire made it difficult for him to find a proper reading but he managed to find it and he gasped at the realization.

**Bebop:** _…uh-oh._

Meanwhile, a critically wounded Shido pinched the bridge of his nose in absolute frustration due this turn of events.

**Shido:** _How could I ever imagine this…? That impertinent brat from long ago getting in my way this much! Honestly… “Unbelievable” is the only word I can use to describe this!_

He takes a deep breath with his eyes closed and a smug smirk on his face.

**Shido:** _It seems I too was naïve… I knew I should’ve made sure you were killed back in April._

With a grim chuckle, True Samael looks up to the sky as he tightens his fists.

**Shido:** _But now, my dream has finally been attained! My desire to steer this country has finally come to fruition, just as God himself has declared as my destiny! And the best part is… that my ambition has only yet begun!_

He quickly returns to his fighting stance, ready to kill Joker once and for all.

**Shido:** _I will NOT stumble over mere minutia like --- huh?_

When Shido looked back at Joker, he stopped his speech, sincerely surprised that instead of seeing a terrified thief, he saw Joker apparently drinking from some sort of bottle. All while he was as stoic and calm as always.

**Shido:** _…what in hell’s name are you doing?_

At the question, Joker turned back to True Samael just as he finished his drink and wiped his mouth with his sleeve. The thief leader smirks at the confused shadow.

**Akira:** _Having a snack. You want some?_

He extended his arm holding a bottle of filled with what seemed to be soda or fruit juice, Shido thought. Noticing he was mocking him by offering part of his snack, True Samael scowled at Joker.

**Shido:** _You seriously have the gall to eat right at the moment I’m going to destroy you!?_

Seeing he wasn’t in the mood for his mock-offering, Joker stuffs the bottle back in his coat while keeping that smirk of his.

**Akira:** _Hey, that’s your fault. You were so focused in your speech you gave enough time for a snack. And the saddest part is that you didn’t even notice this until now._

Sadly (for Shido), that’s true. While the shadow aspirer to Prime Minister was so busy blabbering about his “mistake” and how he was going to make amends by killing Joker for good, he didn’t even noticed the thief leader was having a snack with no worries at all. Actually, more than a snack, it was a **_Moonlight Carrot_** (courtesy of Haru’s garden in Shujin’s rooftop) and good swig from a bottle of **_Wine of Grace_** he got back at the church after studying Shogi strategies with Hifumi Togo (don’t worry; it’s non-alcoholic wine).

Simply put, taking advantage of the little extra time given by Shido’s unneeded speech, Joker found the opportunity to properly heal himself and now he was back in tip-top shape for this now one-on-one fight.

With slumped shoulders, Shido could only stare dumfounded at Joker while Oracle hidden in Prometheus, laughed at the top of her lungs at how easy Joker made clear he didn’t give a shit about his speech. When Oracle managed to tell the others about this, Shido then heard the other thieves at the other side of the ring of fire laughing their asses off at the moment. Sure, this day was super important and serious, but they couldn’t help but to laugh at the moment.

And as both Joker and Oracle expected, Shido did not like that. 

**Shido:** _And **YOU** call me arrogant!? You miserable piece of…! No matter… _

He shakes his head and returns to his fighting stance.

**Shido:** _I hope you enjoyed your last meal, you pain-in-the-ass-punk; because this time, I will make sure to seal your fate… I will reduce you to nothing!_

**Futaba:** _We worked too hard to get here, Joker; we can’t lose now!_

Exchanging his smirk for a serious expression, nodding in agreement with Oracle and with a fiery determination in his eyes, Joker put himself in his own fighting stance. For this whole year in Tokyo, Akira Amamiya-Kurusu has his fate forcefully tied with Masayoshi Shido. And it was time to put an end to it once and for all!

…Even if he had to finish this alone (well, he still has Oracle’s help, but you get the idea).

The thief leader prepared his guard while Shadow Shido prepared his right fist to swing at the raven-haired hero. A familiar glow being covering his fist; that could only mean one thing…

**Shido:** _You dam brat… It is finally time for you to go to hell! **Tyrant’s Pur**_ \--- **_GUUUUUGGGGGGGCCKCK!_**

****

An unexpected blow, causing excruciating pain on his left cheek, cut off Shido’s attempt of landing the finishing blow on Joker. He could feel blood and a couple of teeth flying out of his mouth as he was knocked face-down on the floor due to the power of whatever object collided with his face. Joker and Oracle could only stare in shock as they both recognized the flying object that hit Shido right in his stupid, arrogant face.

It was the hammer of “ ** _Fortunate Son_** ” Rocksteady’s dual weapons.

Speaking of, taking advantage of being behind the enemy, the mutant Persona-User saw the perfect opportunity to charge at Shido, who was still trying to get up from the sudden attack and tackled him directly at the ring of fire. Screaming in sheer agony, True Samael twisted in agony like bacon in a frying pan as struggled a lot to escape the scorching ring he created. He may have been able to resist the blue-and-white fire in his tip-top condition, but now when he was critically wounded and exhausted because of the fight, the fire was practically rubbing a lot of salt to his deepest wounds. After escaping from the fire, the aspirer to Prime Minister could only fall to his knees and pant heavily as some of the embers on his body dissipated.

Recovering from the shock, Joker quickly runs next to Diamond.

**Akira:** _Diamond!? I thought you were knocked out of the place with the others!_

With a mixture of relief and surprise, the thief leader asked while offering his Russian partner a swig of his Wine of Grace.

**Rocksteady:** _I managed to stay on toes when Shido unleashed energy wave. I took advantage of dumb speech to use the sneaky attack on him._

With a good swig of the no-alcoholic drink, the mutant rhino was now ready to join Joker with this now two-on-one fight. All while Oracle cheered him from Prometheus.

**Futaba:** _Good hit, Diamond! Ok, guys; it’s time to finish this!_

Sharing a determined nod with Oracle, the teenager and the mutant were ready to give Shido a taste of hell itself.

Slowly, Shadow Shido managed to get back on his feet; he spat a few more teeth and droplets of blood on his hand while looking back at Joker, he scowls as he realized the cause of the sudden event.

**Shido:** _You damn freak… you dare to sneak attack me like that!?_

**Rockstaedy:** _That is yours fault! If you weren’t so busy with arrogant speech, you could has noticed me!_

**Akira:** _He’s right, you know. You’re so self-centered is actually sad. We can’t believe we went through this much crap because of someone like you._

**Shido:** _You insolent petty scum…! I will make sure you regret this… **IN HELL!!** _

Furious, Shadow Shido shouted as he applied Heat Riser on himself and enveloped his fist with a familiar holy glow. Seeing this was no longer time for jokes, the mocking expressions on Joker and Diamond suddenly turned into more grim ones.

…They have decided to make Shido feel the suffering he caused to others to satiate his disgustingly huge ego.

**Shido: _Tyrant’s Judgment!!_**

****

With a powerful punch to the ground the area around Shido started to crack and release many shiny holes as from the sky above him, a giant golden fist made of holy energy was mercilessly shot directly at the two thieves, hoping to finish them off at the moment they got hit.

But another thing Shido didn’t know about the Phantom Thieves, is their improvisation…

**Akira: _Alice!_**

****

**Rocksteady: _Super Frost!_**

Right at the moment the masks disappeared from their faces in a quick blue flare, a little blond girl with a blue-and-white dress and an Ice Fairy with black hat collar and boots, a cyan bathroom towel as a super-hero cape and a huge hammer made of ice appeared in front of them. Confident, Alice and Super Frost raised their arms and stopped the giant golden fist as if it was nothing.

Shido couldn’t even speak due to the shock, which grew even more as he saw both Personae not only blocking the Tyrant’s Judgment, he also saw Alice absorbing all the holy energy emanating from the it until it disappeared. The shadow tyrant recovered from the shock and stared back at Joker and Diamond and he noticed only Super Frost was with them; Alice suddenly disappeared. Realizing it, his expression turned back into anger.

**Shido:** _…you little…! **Don’t you dare mock me!!**_

****

Shido tried to rush at the two thieves when he suddenly heard a little giggle, it was childish and soft, but he could feel absolute darkness emanating from whatever was behind him. And it actually intimidated him. Stopping his murderous assault, Shido quickly turned around and found the source of the dark giggle. Alice was standing right behind Shido, staring at him with those innocent yet dangerous eyes. But when the expression on her face turned into a murderous cold grin, he finally discovered how it feels like to have a chill running down his spine…

**Akira: _…Megidolaon._**

That mere word was more than enough to make Shadow Shido scream in agony as Alice unleashed a powerful wave of almighty energy on him at point-blank range. Every nerve in his ridiculously muscular body screamed every second the spell burned through his body, begging to stop the suffering. Once the Megidolaon dissipated, Shido’s body was steaming thanks to the heat generated by the Almighty spell.

Still, with every ounce left of willpower, the Shadow Tyrant grinned smugly at the heroes. Although, it was clear for Joker, Diamond and Oracle that he was barely standing on his last leg.

**Shido:** _Is that… the best you… can do?_

He was breathing heavily and his voice was hoarse and cracking, another clear signal he is not able to keep receiving more of that. That’s how he wanted to play? Fine. Joker and Diamond weren’t planning on having mercy on him anyway.

**Shido:** _I said it once… and I’ll say it again… there is no reason for ME… to lose to petty thieves like ---_

A strong sudden hit and “ ** _THUD_** ” cut him off. Thinking quickly, Joker changed Alice to Ongyo-Ki, his big brute. And quickly, the great Oni delivered a strong haymaker right at Shido’s face. More blood erupted from Shido’s face from where the Oni’s punch brutally landed. With a loud cry of pain, Shido clutched at his now crushed nose where more blood was running from, many droplets falling to the ground.

His eyes were closed shut thanks to the agonizing pain in his face. No matter how strong you are; any attack at the nose hurts a lot. He had to open them quickly and get back to fight. There’s no way a simple brat and a stupid rhinoceros were going to stop him from claiming Japan as his ship. This was his dream…

No.

This was his destiny!

Another sudden hit caused Shido to open his eyes shut and made all the air get knocked out of his lungs. Frozen in place, True Samael could do nothing except coughing more blood, courtesy of the attack. But what caused him to freeze in pain and cough?

Taking advantage of Shido distracted by his broken nose, Super Frost leaped at the tyrant head-first and collided with Shido’s gut in a brutally powerful dive. Despite the small size of the ultimate Ice-fairy, Shido felt like a dump truck just collided with him.

**Rocksteady:** _Is you enjoying it?! This is for interrogation comrade Joker went through in Police Station!_

Not satisfied enough, Rocksteady quickly ran to Shido and unleashed a furious barrage of extremely heavy punches on Shido’s gut, right where his Persona just collided. The shadow aspirer to Prime Minister was heaving more pained groans coughing more blood with each fist brutally clashing against his gut. Taking turns between punching his gut and punching his hideous face.

After finishing his enraged assault, Steranko took a step back as he saw Shadow Shido slowly hunching thanks to the pain received by the countless fist impacts. Shido could barely breathe because of the recent barrage of knuckleduster-infused punches; the mutant could swear there were tears forming in Shido’s eyes and running down his now-even-uglier face. The shadow aspirer to Prime Minister could hear every fiber of his own body screaming; crying in a pitiful attempt of begging to this living nightmare to end. That this was only a horrible dream and right now he was going to wake up in his bed, ready to keep steering Japan like the ship he saw it was.

But what he received next, made one thing clear for him. 

This wasn’t a dream…

This wasn’t a nightmare either…

**_This…_ **

**_…is hell come true._ **

Shido couldn’t even see Rocksteady unsheathing his hammer and delivering a powerful hammering blow at the top of his head. The impact caused him to cough more blood as he was forced to stand on his knees. Before the rest of his body fell to the ground, the angry mutant rhino grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and straightened him up, still on his knees. Rocksteady grabbed his arms from behind so he couldn’t break free. Struggling with whatever willpower he had left, True Samael could barely open his eyes. And what he saw made his blood run cold.

He saw Joker, walking slowly to him; his mask gone and a cold-blooded expression on his onyx eyes. Right behind him, Ongyo-Ki was cracking his knuckles, sharing the same emotionless expression as its master. He stopped right a few inches away from Shido and pinched the tyrant’s nose, being rewarded with another pained cry from the shadow. When forced to lock eyes with the youngster, True Samael felt something; an emotion that spread in his mind like wildfire, taking over his rational mind, even over his huge ego in no time. An emotion he knew but never though he would have, especially not if it was caused by this brat.

There was only one word to describe such emotion…

****

**_…Fear._ **

Without hesitation or any changes in his expression, Joker ordered Ongyo-Ki to use **Charge** on itself. After that, the giant Oni twisted its waist and shoulders back, then, it delivered a brutal right haymaker at Shido’s face. The impact on his already bruised face was equivalent to a wrecking ball colliding against a frail glass statue.

Recoiling due to the hit, Tue Samael heaved a weak groan of pain as he spat more blood from his bruised mouth. With a mixture of rage, humiliation and most of all, fear, Shadow Shido slowly raised his head and stared back at the leader of the Phantom Thieves. Said young boy’s steely eyes were practically daggers piercing through his distorted heart.

**Akira:** _That is for Wakaba Isshiki and Futaba Sakura…_

His voice was completely devoid of any emotion; cold as the same ominous chilling sensation when you find yourself in a graveyard at a rainy midnight. Shido could do nothing but watch terrified as Ongyo-Ki prepared and launched another charged haymaker fueled by ice-cold anger.

**Akira:** _That’s for Kunikazu and Haru Okumura…_

Ongyo-Ki charged… and launched another haymaker.

**Akira:** _That’s for Goro Akechi and his mother…_

Charged punch after another, Akira made his Persona unleash all of its rage while rubbing on Shido’s face all the crimes he committed to satisfy his own ego. All those dead people, all those lives ruined, all those brought to misery thanks to Shido and his damn disgusting ego.

And now… NOW. Joker and Diamond are going to make him regret all of his crimes.

_EVERY…_

**_LAST…_ **

**_BIT OF THEM…_ **

With a last haymaker, Rocksteady released True Samael. Shido fell on the ground face down, with barely enough power to keep breathing, but every time he did that, he felt like if his lungs were set on fire and pinched from every direction, a couple of broken ribs, perhaps.

From his position, Shido could only look at Rocksteady, ready to deliver the finishing blow with his hammer. Despite the terrifying expression in Joker’s eyes, seeing an enraged, merciless mutant rhinoceros was a whole different thing. The looming huge figure enveloped in a dark aura of rage and hate, his left eye shooting a glare as cold and merciless as Joker’s, the shiny hammer in his left hand raised as high as possible as if it was going to fall down from the skies in some form of punishment from none other than the gods themselves. If Shido didn’t find out the true meaning of fear yet, the rhino wielding his hammer in a menacing fashion and his ice-cold expression should be more than enough now.

Shido’s ego was now completely replaced by freezing terror. One more hammering blow and this was it. Shadow defeated, distorted desires stolen, heart changed and goodbye dream of steering Japan.

_This was the end…_

_…Of the one chosen by god…_

**Rocksteady: _Igra okonchena, prem’yer ministr…_ (*1)**

****

The hammer falls…

**_Ready to give the finishing blow…_ **

**Shido: _STOOOOOOOOOOOOOP!!!_**

The shiny hammer stopped in its tracks, just an inch away from smashing Shido like the stanching bug he is. Both Joker and Diamond stopped and stared at True Samael with sincere surprise after seeing the shadow tyrant crying and shouting with absolute fear in his voice.

The Tyrant Shadow had to search into every last corner of his dark, distorted heart to find the very last milligrams of willpower he had left and used them to slowly get back on his feet. But it was useless, his face was barely recognizable, every wound in his body was too much to endure, he was practically on the brink of passing out and returning to his human form. He quickly fell back on his knees, panting heavily; tears running down his arrogant face.

Both his body and ego suffered too much damage. Enough of it to make him do something his damn ego wouldn’t allow him to do…

…beg for mercy.

**Shido:** _Please… stop this… I-I’m begging you… Please, forgive me…_

His voice was cracking, broken as much as his ego knowing he was going to meet his end at the hands of a kid and his terrifying rhinoceros partner.

**Shido:** _I’ll do anything… Just, please… n-no more of this brutality…_

It was clear he had more than enough of this, and now he was begging in a poor attempt for this nightmare to stop. 

But Joker and Diamond did not relent…

**Akira:** _…shut up._

Those two words spoken with coldness cause Shido to freeze and stare dumbfounded at the thief leader and the rhino.

**Shido:** _…w-what…?_

**Akira:** _I said… Shut. Up. After all the damage you caused, you really think you can just ask such bullshit? You have no right to beg for mercy!_

**Rocksteady:** _We bet ton of people told you same thing… and what did you do!?_

With the same infernal coldness in voice, the mutant rhino grabbed Shido by the shoulders and lifted him up, making sure his eyes were at the same level with his.

**Rocksteady:** _You took everything from them… you made them suffer to no end…_ **_Vy razrushili ikh zhizni!_ ** **** **(*2)**

The foul rhino-breath invaded True Samael’s face as the rhino shouted at him with every ounce of hate he could use. Before even realizing what was going on, Diamond lifted Shido above his shoulders in a fireman’s carry. Shido tried to struggle in order to break free, but it was worthless, he was too damaged to even think about moving. He was lucky he could even breathe right now. Feeling his distorted ego returning to his mind, Shido tried to reason with them.

**Shido:** _But… this isn’t my fault…_

He groaned in pain as he kept trying to speak.

****

**Shido:** _The weak have to be sacrificed for the sake of creating powerful, competent leaders… all those lives were not just wasted or ruined for the hell of it… they were stepping stones for me to ascend to the seat of Prime Minister… If they had to die and/or suffer for my career… it’s because it was their destiny!_

Diamond just stood there, still holding Shido, remembering all the stuff his teammates went through because of him.

The hell Ryuji and Ann went through in Shujin thanks to Kamoshida…

Madarame using Yusuke as a source of income…

Kaneshiro’s attempt to force both Makoto and Sae into prostitution…

How Futaba suffered when her mother died…

The night Haru broke in tears after her father passed away…

The suffering Akira went through because the interrogation as well as his case of PTSD…

And now this shitbag has the gall to say all of this suffering was necessary to satisfy his ambition!? After all the beating he just received!?

Shido didn’t realize it…

...But he really fucked up now.

The stressful silence was cut off by Rocksteady roaring in pure rage. Noticing it, Shido was instantly invaded by terror. Any attempt to break free was cut off by Diamond flipping him so he was face up across the rhino’s shoulders and locking True Samael’s legs.

Diamond roared again as he jumped as high as he could.

When landing, an ominous cracking made itself heard.

The guests in the ship, every shadow and cognition, even the other four V.I.Ps. Everyone who was still in Shido’s cruise ship froze in terror by a horrendous scream of pain echoing in every corner of the palace. A horrible pain in his back caused True Samael to scream as much as he could, the pain being much more unbearable than the whole beating he just took. The shadow could do nothing but keep screaming and crying as Diamond was still holding him and mercilessly applying a bit more of pressure on his back. Every second of this suffering felt like an hour as the pain very slowly was dissipating from his spine. When Shido could finally stop crying and screaming, he got slowly enveloped in a familiar black fog. Knowing this was it, Diamond threw True Samael off of him as he saw he returned to his normal form right as he landed on the floor face down.

Slowly raising his head, Shido’s face flashed a mixture of absolute terror and unimaginable pain as he saw the mutant rhino still fixing that murderous glare at him.

**Shido:** _No… s-stay away… please, stay away from me, you monster…!_

With his face stained with tears, Shadow Shido tried to crawl away from Diamond, but the rhino easily grabbed him by the scruff of his neck and tossed him right in front of the other phantom Thieves who could finally join Joker as the ring of fire finally disappeared from the battle field.

The pain made any effort to move a complete torture as he slowly got on his knees, still crying for the pain, both in his body and his pride. The rest of the Phantom Thieves were standing right in front of him, displaying the same hate as they glared at the now defeated True Samael.

**Shido:** _J-just, how… how could I… lose?_

Queen, (who was right next to Joker, clinging on his arm as a sign of relief to see her lover not only was fine, he also finally defeated Shido with a great help from Diamond) was the first to speak with the same ice-cold voice.

**Makoto:** _Masayoshi Shido… you caused countless mental shutdowns and psychotic breakdowns on others, just to satiate your own damn greed. You will atone for all of this… with what’s left of your miserable, meaningless life._

Skull was the next to speak up.

**Ryuji:** _Hey, shit-head. Don’t you have anything to say to our leader before you go passin’ out?_

Seeing Shido wasn’t responding, Pumpkin joined in the talk.

**Bebop:** _Or… maybe you want Diamond to rough you up a bit more 'til you spill it!_

**Rocksteady:** _…good idea._

Noticing Diamond was going to brutalize him again, Shido quickly spoke.

**Shido:** _No, wait! I do… I do have something!_

Still broken and terrified, Shadow Shido looked at Joker.

**Shido:** _Akira Amamiya-Kurusu… I… I acknowledge that I incriminated you on false charges… I abused my authority just to protect myself…_

Swallowing a broken sob, Shido kept talking.

**Shido:** _By the way… have you gotten in contact with your parents lately…?_

**Akira:** _No; all because of my jackass probation officer._

**Shido:** _Figures… there’s another thing you should know…_

His face quickly flashed an expression that made clear he was going to regret saying whatever he was going to say.

**Shido:** _I remember that right when the court assigned your probation… I… I…_

**Makoto:** _You what? Spill it, you rotten excuse of an asshole!_

**Shido:** _Out of pure spite… I sent some of my henchmen to threaten your parents with killing you if they got in contact with you during your probation!_

“ ** _YOU WHAT!?!?_** ” At unison, all of the Phantom Thieves shouted that question. They couldn’t believe for fuck’s sake he did something so petty just to spite a young man. While Joker struggled to keep his cold but stoic face, the other thieves didn’t hesitate to express with their faces that they wanted to disembowel Shido alive for what he just said.

**Morgana:** _I can’t believe you just did THAT! How low can a repulsive scumbag like YOU sink!?_

**Haru:** _You’re the most despicable piece of criminal garbage that ever walked the world!_

**Shido:** _I know… I know… But… you must understand…!_

**Bebop:** _Is there even SOMETHIN’ we have to understand, you sicko!?_

Wincing at the warthog’s shout, Shido swallowed another broken sob and continued.

**Shido:** _This was… for the sake of Japan’s ignorant masses… This government is corrupt and stagnant… I was just doing all of this for their sake… for their happiness…_

**Ann: _Bullshit! Total and complete bullshit!_**

****

Shadow Shido winced again and stared at Panther, Fox and Oracle, whom spoke next with the same spite.

****

**Yusuke:** _You have the gall to criticize this country’s corrupt government when you destroyed countless lives in a conspiracy to unfairly take the seat of Prime Minister!?_

**Futaba:** _You’re damn right this country is rotten… And is because of an even more rotten crap-bag like you!_

**Shido:** _My god… you’re right… you’re absolutely right… I’m not a mighty leader chosen by god to steer this country…_

Realizing the truth, Shido shook his head in absolute shame.

**Shido:** _I’m a disgusting… shameful…hypocritical… arrogant… repulsive… excuse of a criminal. No… I’m much worse than that… and I’m seriously sorry for everything I’ve done…_

After sobbing a little, he looked up to Joker and flashed a miserable attempt of an arrogant smirk.

**Shido:** _It’s funny… I feel as though this is the first time in a while since I felt sincerely apologetic…_

After saying that, he saw Joker scowled at him.

**Shido:** _Not that I have the right to complain, but… why are you looking at me like that?_

**Akira:** _Do you really mean it… or you want Diamond to beat you up a little more until you spill the beans?_

Shaking in pure fear again, Shido quickly responded.

**Shido:** _Lying to you…? Are you serious…!?_

He heaved another broken sob before keep speaking.

**Shido:** _…at this point, I don’t have the willpower to even think about that…_

Managing to calm down a little via a deep breath and heaving a huge sigh, he continued. 

**Shido:** _I’ll do anything… anything… just… please don’t sic your psychotic rhino on me again…_

Regaining his stoic demeanor, Joker spoke to the fallen criminal.

**Akira:** _Fine. But you’re going to confess all of the crimes you’ve committed and find a way to atone, you heard that?_

**Shido:** _Yeah… I’ll do that…_

He gave a weak nod as a response before looking down at the floor.

**Shido:** _So… this is it… I’ve been defeated…_

He let out a humorless chuckle, which quickly turned into a broken sobbing.

This was the end for him.


	2. Keraphobia...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Keraphobia: The fear of horns. Either horns of animlas involved oin a traumatic experience or the sound of a horn in a vehicle involved in the same fashion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Why the hell did nobody tell me Rhinophobia wasn't fear of rhinos but fear of having ANY cash!? Seriously, I feel really stupid for not realizing that!
> 
> Anyway, here's chapter two. 
> 
> Enjoy.

Masayoshi Shido’s office was filled to the brim with a tense silence, which was unbelievably uncomfortable. Some of Shido’s most loyal ass-kissers were reunited in his office with him, hoping for the best in case they needed to act when Shido started to undergo a change of heart. Among all those people, there was a certain individual: Hibiki Oshiro, one of Shido’s closest allies. The madman was sitting in the couch wearing a black tie-and-suit, twiddling his fingers in anxiety. Oshiro is not exactly a mentally stable person, having serious anger issues and an arrogance that almost rivals with Shido himself, but that madman was resourceful, and said resources were a great help for Shido’s political career as well as it was in fact Oshiro who suggested the idea of blaming Futaba for the death of her mother as a way to cover the assassination. 

While all those people were reunited around the office, Shido was just standing in front of the window, staring at the country he thought he was going to steer as his own cruise ship once he won the seat of prime minister. While the neutral expression both on his face and demeanor indicated he was calmly contemplating the view that Tokyo offered to him, he had a completely different mood inside his rotten heart.

Deep down, Shido was beyond enraged to the point of nonbelief. After seeing the special calling card the Phantom Thieves prepared for him by hacking every screen in Japan, his first most predictable reaction was that he blamed the police and Akechi for failing in their task of making sure the leader of the thieves was dead. However, another unpredictable reaction (not that he will ever admit it aloud) was that Shido for once realized the mistake caused by his ignorance and arrogance.

Under his orders, the police sent a coroner only to write a death certificate without even bothering to take a look at the thief’s corpse. If Shido would’ve ordered those involved in that task to take a look at the young man he thought was dead or going there and see it by himself; he would’ve noticed the Phantom Thieves were pulling his leg all this time. They somehow took the trap he created for them and turned it into one to entrap him! And now they were back in action ready to steal his distorted desires and put an end to his political conspiracy once and for all.

However, Shido reluctantly admitted (deep down) he was in some real deep trouble now. After realizing that people can undergo a change of heart by using the metaverse instead of just psychotic breakdowns or mental shutdowns, Shido became sincerely terrified and more (even more than before) paranoiac than usual. Knowing that the Phantom Thieves would eventually steal his heart after seeing what they’ve done to Kaneshiro and Madarame, Shido’s most valuable financial supporters, Shido knew he had to act quickly to get rid of the thieves before they got rid of him. He created an insane scheme where he increased the thieves’ popularity in the Phan-site by targeting Kunikazu Okumura, Haru’s father, as the main target.

After getting rid of Okumura and making sure the thieves were Japan’s most wanted criminals, he sent Goro Akechi to infiltrate them and pretend he was an ally for them, only to make sure they disbanded and kill their leader after he was captured then kill the rest of the thieves one by one. It was clear that plan didn’t work at all, because now the thieves not only revealed their leader was still alive and kicking, but they also told all of the country Shido was their next target and that he was lying to all of Japan all along.

No matter, Shido thought. Thanks to all the info he acquired after stealing Wakaba’s research, he found out his Shadow was incredibly powerful; powerful enough to erase those petty thieves with little-to-no effort (…if only he knew). Once the Phantom Thieves were erased, he could finally wait until the elections and claim this country as his own ship as he thought God himself declared as his destiny. Or in case he would be receiving a change of heart, some of his researchers prepared for him a few special pills that will put him into a temporal death and collapse his palace with the thieves inside, killing them and preventing his treasure from being stolen.

…Or that’s what the idea was supposed to be before a sudden splitting migraine caused to groan loudly in pain to the point of falling on his knees. Oshiro and a few of his cronies stood up their seats, worried about their leader.

“Sir!?” A medic quickly ran to Shido.

“Shido-san!” One of his political allies yelled, worried about the situation.

**Oshiro:** _Shido-San, are you alright!?_

Slowly standing back on his feet, Shido shook his head as he started to feel something quite stronger than the headache; an emotion was suddenly invading his mind. An emotion he feared he would ever have after realizing what the Phantom Thieves were capable of…

…Guilt.

**Shido:** _…No! D-did they succeed!?_

Alarmed that all of his work could be flushed down the toilet any minute now, Shido could barely walk to a researcher, whom was holding a small bottle with those special pills. 

**Shido:** _…You!_

“Y-yes, sir!” The researcher responded as quickly Shido called him out.

**Shido:** _Will I really be able to kill the Phantom Thieves if I take those!?_

“W-well… according to Isshiki’s research…” The fact the bottle with the pills was shaking was a clear signal the researcher was nervous as hell. “…temporary collapsing a palace will take down anyone inside it as well…” The researcher tried not to faint out of nervousness for the situation. “The abrupt nature of the collapse means they will be unable to escape the palace without extreme luck…”

…if only they knew this would be the sixth time they escaped from a collapsing palace.

“However, the only way to purposefully erase a cognitive world is by halting biological activity…”

**Oshiro:** _Just get to the point, goddammit!_

The researcher flinched instinctively at Oshiro’s shout, causing to almost drop the pills. He regained a bit of control and gave the short version. “In other words; this medicine will… temporarily kill you, and they’re great risks involved…”

**Shido:** _Anything will do! GIVE IT TO ME!!_

The researched gasped terrified as Shido took the medicine off his very own hand. Oshiro and the rest of his cronies watched at how Shido opened the bottle with a manic laugh and prepared to take the temporal-death pills and kill the Phantom Thieves once and for all.

**Shido:** _Now… they’re done for…_

But before the corrupt aspirer to Prime Minister could raise the bottle and assure his final victory, a sudden pain caused him to freeze while heaving a loud groan of pain, instantly making everyone else to flinch. Instinctively, Shido dropped the bottle with the kill-pills as he fell on his knees and clutched his head with both hands while he was feeling his head was being split opened with an axe.

**Oshiro:** _…what the hell!?_

“Sir!? W-what’s going on!?” One of Shido’s allies joined Oshiro as they both kneel in front of Shido. The corrupt politician was panting heavily while still gripping his head with both hands. His face flashed a greatly pained expression and tears were starting to form on his eyes.

**Shido:** _The pills… give them to me…!_

“Huh!?” The businessman quickly realized what Shido meant. At the moment he felt the splitting headache, Shido dropped the bottle with the temporal-death medicine. 

**Oshiro:** _I got this, Sir!_

The madman tried to reach for the pills scattered on the floor, but before he could take them, Shido shrieked in pain. This time, he gripped to his abdomen with both hands as if he just received a brutal hit to his gut. The sudden pain was so strong it actually caused Shido to vomit on the floor. Both Oshiro and his subordinates flinched with disgusted expressions at the sight of their leader Shido in such a humiliating state.

**Oshiro:** _What in the world is happening to him!?_

The madman shouted at the researcher as he stood up from the coughing Shido and the small pile of vomit. Now even more nervous than before, the scientist spoke as normal as he could. “I-I don’t know, Oshiro-San! There’s probably something wrong happening to his shadow in the Metaverse!” Is the most logical explanation he could come up with as nobody has ever seen anything like this sort of reaction, perhaps not even Wakaba Isshiki herself has found out about this.

Before Oshiro could protest more, another pained shriek from Shido attracted the attention of everyone in the room. The aspirer to Prime Minister now fell to the floor in fetal position, his legs were flailing like crazy and desperately clutched his face with both hands as if he was being brutally pinched in the face. Nobody in the room had any idea of what was going on, but in his head, Shido was seeing some sort of images every time he felt horribly unbearable pain. He saw what seemed to be a young man with a domino mask, pretty sure the leader of the Phantom Thieves. Next to him, there was something that actually terrified Shido: the dark, looming figure of what seemed to be an anthropomorphic rhinoceros raising a shiny hammer, ready to deliver a finishing blow directly at Shido’s head. The mere idea was being more than enough to make Shido shake in terror as tears started to once again form in his eyes.

After a few seconds of agony that seemed to last hours, the pain in Shido’s face, head and gut started to fade away. Still terrified and pained as if he was horribly tortured just a moment ago, Shido slowly stood back on his knees, still panting heavily due to the sudden terrifying experience.

Shido slowly watched his surroundings and found all of his subordinates both terrified and confused about his current behavior. He shook his head, still dizzy and confused.

**Shido:** _Wha… what happened to---_

Shido couldn’t even finish the question as he suddenly froze in the spot with glassy haunted eyes and mouth slightly ajar. Nobody else knew why, but Shido felt a brutal pain in his back, as if his spine was brutally crushed at the very moment (Thanks, Rocksteady). Still shocked and confused, Oshiro slowly approached Shido and kneeled next to him.

**Oshiro:** _…S-sir? Shido-San, a-are you ok?_

He asked with a gentle worried tone as he gently budged Shido, hoping he reacted and snapped out of his current mysterious trance.

…what happened next pretty sure made Oshiro and everyone in the room to get traumatized for life.

With all the power his lungs could give him, Shido suddenly let out a piercing, mind-shredding scream, not different from those of the Banshees, the creatures from Irish folklore.

The expression on Shido’s face is one that Oshiro and the cronies in the office will always remember in their nightmares: Shido’s face was practically color-drained; his eyes were devoid of any life and bursting with tears; and the way he shrieked in a jumpscare-fashion. It was as if Shido was suddenly possessed by a spirit who died in the most brutal agonizing manner as possible and wanted everyone in the room to suffer as much as he did. Oshiro and the rest of Shido’s cronies could do nothing but watch in pure terror as Shido kept shrieking for a few more seconds before he abruptly stopped and fell face-first to the floor.

An eerie silence remained in the office for what seemed to be forever before Oshiro slowly went to check on his leader. He applied a bit of pressure on a side of his neck and found out he still got pulse, he also could see Shido was still breathing. Good, he was unconscious but he was still alive. With a nervous gulp, Oshiro beckoned one of the subordinates and both men carefully lifted Shido and placed him on the couch at the middle of the office.

**Oshiro:** _W-what… what did just happen…!?_

Oshiro stuttered as he asked to the researcher who tried to give Shido the temporal-death pills. Even more nervous that Hibiki; the scientist could barely manage to answer properly. “A-a-as I said before… P-perhaps something horrible h-happened to his shadow to m-make him… react like that… sir”.

**Oshiro:** _…to his shadow, huh._

The terrified madman could only mutter as he kept glancing upon the now unconscious Shido.

**Oshiro:** _…what the fuck did the Phantom Thieves did to him?_

***@*@*@*@*@* _Meanwhile, in Shido’s palace…_ *@*@*@*@*@***

A golden glow started to shine from above the battlefield. The Phantom Thieves quickly looked up at the source and quickly recognized it. Once True Samael admitted defeat after being brutally beaten by both Joker and Diamond, Shido’s treasure, which was hovering above them during the whole fight, slowly shrank as it descended. Once the treasure was right in front of the thieves; its glow dissipated and showed its form.

**Ann:** _Wait, a wheel? And it’s for a ship…?_

**Bebop:** _Considerin’ we’re **actually** on a ship, I ain’t that surprised. _

All of then nodded in agreement with Pumpkin as Joker grabbed the treasure.

**Akira:** _Ok, guys let’s get out of here before --- huh…?_

A sudden tug at the other end of the wheel caused Joker to turn around him and found Shadow Shido still trying to keep the thieves away from his treasure. The sight made the thieves groan loudly in exasperation at the sight. Even brutally beaten and pretty sure traumatized for life he was still being a dick. There was only one word that could describe shadow Shido at this moment…

…Pathetic.

**Ryuji:** _Dude, seriously!?_

**Shido:** _You can’t… take my wheel… I must steer this country… If I don’t, who ---_

**Yusuke:** _Your arrogance is beyond disgusting!_

**Futaba:** _Will you give it a rest, already!? You’ve lost! Now suck it up!_

Shadow Shido just ignored all of those complaints as he kept struggling to get his wheel back with no avail at all.

**Shido:** _I… I must…_

**Rocksteady: _You still want to fight!?_**

****

That coolly question made Shido freeze in terror with haunted eyes. He slowly turned around and saw the same looming dark rhino from just a moment ago, when he was about to deliver the final blow with his hammer. Shido’s shadow felt his blood go cold and his face lose all the color as he could only watch the figure that will be pure nightmare fuel for the rest of his life, snorting ready to punish him again.

**Akira:** _You heard Diamond… you still want to fight…?_

Slowly, Shido turned back to Joker, who asked with the same coldness in voice while the rest of the thieves were fixing a cold condescending glare at him. With his face still bleached and terrified, Shido heaved a breath on the wheel and polished it with his suit. The wheel strangely got a bit brighter after that.

**Shido:** _Just… polishing it for you…_

**Akira:** _…thank you._

Still coolly, Joker nodded to the defeated shadow as Shido just stood there on his knees, starting to sob in a pathetic fashion.

**Shido:** _…but still… if you take my wheel… who’s going to rule this country when I’m gone…?_

As if on cue, Queen placed her right foot on Shido’s face and with not much force, she pushed him away, causing to fall on the floor. Still broken, Shido could only watch the advisor of the thieves fixing a cold emotionless stare at him.

**Makoto:** _Oh, please; even a bag of fertilizer is a much better prime minister than you or anyone in your criminal conspiracy!_

**Shido:** _…heh… I guess I can’t argue with that…_

Finally accepting defeat for good, shadow Shido started to get enveloped by a familiar white glow.

**Shido:** _It’s over… all over…_

With a sharp breath and another pathetic sob, Shadow Shido disappeared in the white glow, a clear signal he returned to his other self in the real world.

Before the Phantom Thieves could say something else, the place started to shake as if there was an earthquake and explosions were heard from deep inside of the ship. The team quickly ran out of the battlefield as they knew it was because of one thing: Now that they took the treasure and the shadow has returned to his real self, the palace was going to collapse at any moment; which meant they had to get the hell out of there ASAP!

Making their way through the countless sudden explosions and the immense crowd of terrified cognitive guests who were trying to find shelter, the Phantom Thieves arrived to the main entrance of the now sinking Cruise Ship of Pride. They had to find a way to get out of the palace so they could leave the Metaverse safely, but it wasn’t going to be easy. They could use their Personae but the fight leaved them considerably tired for such idea.

**Ryuji:** _Ok, any ideas on how to get out of here!? ‘Cuz I think I speak for everyone here when I say I don’t plan to die today!_

**Morgana:** _Don’t worry, there’s a lifesaving boat at the entrance. We take it and get the hell out of here!_

The non-cat spoke as a matter of fact, especially since he was right. When first arriving to the palace, the thieves found a lifesaving boat near the front of the massive ship, since they couldn’t find another one during their exploration; they had to make sure it was still there so they could escape out of the place once they stole Shido’s treasure.

**Morgana:** _It should be riiiiight…_

**Haru:** _…It’s gone!_

The rest of the thieves gasped worried as they found out the lifesaving boat was gone. Oracle was the first one to panic as their only way out of this palace was gone.

**Futaba:** _Dammit, what are gonna do!? I can’t swim! I’m gonna drown!!!_

The navigator could do nothing but weep in Queen’s arms as she and Joker watched her worried for the current situation. Joker cursed under his breath for the sudden turn of events. This was supposed to be their greatest heist; he couldn’t let it end like this! Diamond could carry Oracle while swimming their way out. Sure it was risky but it was either swim their way out of here or sink with the ship. Seeing they had no choice, he shook his head and sighed.

**Akira:** _I know this is gonna sound crazy, but it seems we need to---_

“PHANTOM THIEVES!! OVER HERE!!” The sudden shout alerted the thieves. They turned to their left and found the lifesaving boat on the water, right next to the edge of the now inclined ship and found it was being steered by someone familiar. 

**Ann:** _Wait, is that… Splinter-Sensei!?_

**Yusuke:** _He’s steering the lifeboat!_

Indeed, Hamato “Splinter” Yoshi was steering the boat and approached close enough so the thieves could hop on board. After getting close enough, Pumpkin and Diamond helped the thieves hop on it: Panther, Queen, Noir and Oracle hopped on first, followed by Joker, Skull, Mona, Fox then the mutant morons. Luckily, the boat was big enough for everyone to fit with no problem. 

**Futaba:** _BLESS YOU, YOU MUTANT RAT-MAN GHOST!! THANKYOUTHANKYOUTHANKYOU!!_

The hacker rapidly wrapped her arms around Splinter’s waist, crying how much she appreciates the last-minute rescue. It was still strange that the thieves could achieve to make physical contact with a ghost and in reverse since practically nothing or nobody else in the Metaverse could do such a thing. Perhaps it was related to their cognition, but there was no time to think about it. Understanding, the situation, the mutant ghost patted her head while the rest of the thieves congratulated him as well.

**Morgana:** _Seriously, Splinter; you’re a life-saver!_

**Ryuji:** _Nice going, old rat!_

**Makoto:** _Seriously, we all would be dead right now if it weren’t for you. Thank you, Sensei._

The rat-man chuckled softly as he responded.

**Splinter:** _What can I say? It is what I do. Now, let us depart from this ship of sin._

With that settled, Splinter turned on the engine of the boat, allowing the Phantom Thieves to safely go away from the ship that was now exploding while going in a one-way trip to the bottom of the cognitive ocean. As they finally reached a perfect spot to leave the Metaverse, Splinter turned to Joker with a knowing smirk.

**Splinter:** _Considering Shido’s palace is now collapsing,_ _it is safe to say the mission was a success, am I right?_

All of the thieves flashed the same smirks at Splinter while Joker confidently showed Splinter the treasure they took from Shido.

**Akira:** _You’re damn right it was a success!_

The thieves cheered with a group high-five as they finally got out of the Metaverse.

***@*@*The location has been deleted. Thank you for your hard work…*@*@***

**Ann:** _…that was close._

Ann along with the rest of the Phantom Thieves breathed exhausted; all of them tired but relieved they could get out of Shido’s palace in time. A small shiny object suddenly appearing on the floor quickly attracted Yusuke’s attention.

**Yusuke:** _…what is this?_

**Morgana:** _There’s no doubt. That’s Shido’s treasure._

Upon picking it up and exanimating it closely, Makoto scowled after realizing what it was.

**Makoto:** _…it’s a legislator’s pin._

That obviously pissed the rest of the team as they all shouted an annoyed “WHAT!?”

**Ryuji:** _Are you kiddin’!? This piece of shit is the source of that bastard’s distorted desires!?_

**Akira:** _…not anymore._

With a deep scowl, Akira respectfully took the pin from Makoto and broke it in two, then threw both pieces right where Shido belongs too: the garbage. Still, despite the scowl, the other thieves could find great satisfaction on Akira’s face during that moment. Given how all of the thieves were affected by Shido’s arrogance (either directly or indirectly), it wasn’t a surprise.

Dusting his hands off, Akira turned back to his team; the scowl was gone and replaced by that great satisfaction.

**Akira:** _I don’t know about you guys, but the fight leaved me starving._

**Yusuke:** _In that case, why don’t we stop somewhere before going home?_

Now in the mood for some good food, Futaba was the first to cheerfully suggest. 

**Futaba:** _Then, I want sautéed foie gras!_

**Makoto:** _Futaba, we’re in reality right now._

**Bebop:** _Then why not go to Big Bang? Haru just told us there’s a new burger on sale!_

**Haru:** _That’s right. It’s the Supernova burger! With a flavor capable of rival even the greatest of stars!_

**Rocksteady:** _Oooh ho ho! Now I want to try the Supernova Burger!_

After a quick question from their leader, the rest of the thieves quickly agreed in buying a couple of the new burgers that joined the Big Bang menu since Haru finally got in good terms with Takakura.

**Akira:** _Then it’s decided: to Big Bang Burger!_

“To Big Bang Burger!” All of the thieves cheerfully shouted and walked together to Central Street in Shibuya.

***@*@*@*@*@* _Back in Shido’s office…_ *@*@*@*@*@***

**Shido:** _…ugh…w-what have I…?_

The hoarse complaint alerted Oshiro and the rest of Shido’s subordinates. They were all standing around the couch where Shido was laying on after that horrifying experience. After remaining unconscious for a couple of minutes, Shido woke up and stared confused at his cronies.

**Oshiro:** _Sir, are you alright?_

Hibiki Oshiro approached cautiously at his boss, still afraid something like what happened just a moment ago would repeat itself. Oshiro didn’t need another heavy trauma, thank you very much. The aspirer to Prime Minister clutched his head as if he was just recovering from a brutal hangover.

**Shido:** _…oh, right… I was about to… take some pills, then…_

Right at the moment Shido stared at a space between two of his cronies, he trailed off and his face slowly loses its color and a familiar haunted look appeared on his eyes.

“Sir… Sir, what’s wrong!?” One of his subordinates asked worried about his sudden change in expression. As if using every ounce of willpower left in his body, Shido lifted a shaking finger and pointed at the cause of his apparent terror.

**Shido:** _…t-that thing…_

**Oshiro:** _…huh? What thing, sir?_

Oshiro turned around and found out that Shido was pointing at a painting of a rhinoceros standing in the middle of what seemed to be the African savanna. Confused, Oshiro turned back to Shido and saw he was even more terrified now.

**Oshiro:** _What, the rhino painting? What’s with it, Shido-San?_

**Shido:** _…the rhino… d-don’t let it get close to me! I DON’T WANNA DIE!!_

With pure terror in his voice, Shido screamed as he leaped and hid behind the couch like a scared child, greatly confusing all of his subordinates at the moment.

“W-what just happened!?” One of Shido’s cronies asked, completely confused while Oshiro just rushed to where Shido was hiding.

**Oshiro:** _Sir! Shido-San, what’s wrong with you!?_

Oshiro didn’t get a reasonable response as Shido was just mumbling things like “The rhino…!” “He’s gonna kill me…!” and “Don’t let it ram me with that horn…!” Oshiro had to think quickly on a way to help Shido. He stood up and shouted at an assembly man .

**Oshiro:** _You!_

“Y-yes, Oshiro-San!?”

**Oshiro:** _Take that damn rhino painting and get it the hell out of here!_

“Right away, Sir!” The crone rapidly picked up the painting and rushed out of the office. Seeing it was gone, Oshiro knelt next to Shido and gently rested a hand on his shoulder.

**Oshiro:** _Sir, it’s ok. It’s gone._

Still shaking in terror, Shido slowly raised his gaze at Oshiro.

**Shido:** _…is … i-is the rhino gone?_

**Oshiro:** _Yes, sir. That rhino will not hurt you. It’s gone._

**Shido:** _…oh, thank God._

With a heavy sigh of relief, Shido slowly stood up and carefully but in a steady step, walked and sat back on the couch with his head hung down. Seeing his boss was clam enough, Oshiro turned to the researcher with a puzzled expression.

**Oshiro:** _Hey, could that be related to something in the Metaverse?_

The researcher could just shake his head in confusion. “I’m not sure, Oshiro-San. It is possible his shadow could have suffered some sort of trauma that caused that strange case of Keraphobia, but I don’t have any evidence of such fact”.

**Oshiro:** _…Keraphobia? What the hell is that?_

“Keraphobia is a fear of horns. Either animal horns or the sound caused by the horn of a vehicle” The researcher explained the possible fear now invading Shido’s mind. “In the case of animals, the victim’s phobia is caused by a traumatic experience related to an animal with horns. In this case, a rhinoceros”

Oshiro just remained in thought after that explanation. It was true that one of the dark figures that appeared during Shido’s calling car had a shape similar to a rhino. Could it be that said creature was related to Shido’s new fear?

But before he could ask more questions, a sob attracted the attention of everyone in the office. Oshiro and the rest of Shido’s cronies turned around and found Shido removing his glasses and covering his eyes with his left hand, apparently trying to contain the impulse to bawl his eyes out.

This of course, caused all of his cronies to worry.

“Sir!”

**Shido:** _…I…_

“Something wrong?”

**Shido:** _…I must…_

**Oshiro:** _Shido-San, what’s wrong!?_

Shido couldn’t contain it anymore…

**Shido:** _…I must… atone._

…and started crying.

**Oshiro:** _…no… **NO!**_

****

The rest of the people in the office could just stare in shock as they saw the living proof of their biggest fear came true…

…for Masayoshi Shido suffered a change of heart.

**Oshiro:** _Those bastards… they DID change his heart!_

The rest of Shido’s cronies were quick in sharing Oshiro’s worries.

“Wait, does that mean he’ll blab everything about us!?”

“Everything will be ruined!”

“In that case, what are we going to do about his campaign…?”

Noticing the worries of his cronies, Oshiro turned back to them. His face was flashing a mixture of seriousness and fear.

**Oshiro:** _Announce that he’s not feeling well!_ _Arrange a hospitalization in complete and absolute secrecy, don’t’ let ANYONE near him! Especially NOT the media!!_

“Sir. Yes sir!” With everything settled, all of the cronies ran to make their preparations as quickly as they could. Oshiro just sat next to Shido and fixed a gaze with complete shock and worry in his eyes at his hero who was now crying like there was no tomorrow.

**Oshiro:** _Damn those thieves… If I get my hands on those pieces of shit, I’ll make them pay for what they’ve done to you, sir._

With venom and a desire for revenge and blood, Oshiro swore to his boss while he was just crying, realizing he caused a lot of damage to Japan and its people and that there was no way he could undo all of that damage. That feeling will be haunting him for the rest of his life.

…just as the rhinoceros will be haunting his nightmares.

**…forever.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here it is, folks. Hope you're enjoying this Shido hatefic. As always, Kudos, Non-offensive commentaries and feedback are always welcome.
> 
> Look, I don't wanna sound desperate or anything, but those really keep me motivated to keep writing fics, ok? :(


	3. Compassion...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After defeating True Samael and escaping his ship, Akira shares a especial moment with Sojiro and the other thives.
> 
> ...and another more intimate moment with Makoto.

**_“There is no monster more dangerous than a lack of compassion”._ **

_Master Splinter. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Nickelodeon 2012._

“…hey”

…

“…Hey”

…

…

“Akira!”

Akira gasped, suddenly snapping from his trance. He quickly shook his head, taking a look at his surroundings and found himself at Café LeBlanc. He was sitting at one of the chairs in front of the counter with Makoto next to him. Sojiro was in the counter cleaning a mug. Ryuji, Ann, Yusuke, Morgana, Haru, Futaba, Bebop and Rocksteady were sitting on the booths, all of them with deep concerned frowns, worried about Akira. There was some coffee mugs and huge burgers (not even half as huge as the cosmic tower though) on the tables. After a few seconds he quickly remembered his actual situation.

After escaping Shido’s palace after finally stealing his treasure, the group decided to go to Big Bang Burger and buy a few of the new Supernova Burgers so they could have a little dinner at LeBlanc. When they arrived, they found out the place was such a mess and that Sojiro has gone missing. Right at the moment they thieves started to fear the worst; Sojiro appeared and explained what happened: he got “arrested” by a few of Shido’s cronies and took him with the hopes of getting a confession about his acquaintance with them. However, right after Shido had his change of heart, they were ordered to release him immediately. Now that he returned, everyone cleaned the place in practically no time and enjoyed their little takeout from Big Bang as a premature celebration for defeating Shido.

But for some reason, Akira has been deep in thought since they all started eating, which quickly worried everyone else.

**Akira:** _…sorry, guys. I think I was spacing out._

The thief leader looked down at the counter while sheepishly scratched his nape. Still concerned, Makoto rested her hand on his and spoke up.

**Makoto:** _Akira, is something bothering you?_

The raven-haired boy didn’t respond. Instead, he just slowly looked away from Makoto, hid his eyes under his glasses and glanced downwards. Still, it was clear for Makoto he was too uncomfortable to talk about it.

**Makoto:** _Akira, please. We know something is bothering you. Just tell us what it is and perhaps we can help you about it._

**Sojiro:** _She’s right, kid. Whatever it is, there’s no point in hiding it._

Akira raised his gaze back up and gazed upon Sojiro, whom was sharing the same expression with Makoto. They both knew there was something bothering Akira and knew it was bad to kept it bottled up.

**Morgana:** _They’re right, Joker. We are not just your teammates, we’re your friends._ _We’re here to back you up just as you back us up._

Akira turned around and saw the rest of the thieves flashing those same expressions. But their eyes were saying something else, they were saying that there was no problem telling them what was going on since they will do everything they can in order to help him. Their gazes were practically encouraging him to speak since there was no way he would be judged for sharing what’s on his mind. Sojiro gives him a fresh cup of coffee as an extra encouragement. Akira takes a good sip; both the flavor and the warmth comfort him quite a lot. Still, after a good five minutes of a slightly uncomfortable silence, Akira took a deep breath, let it out and finally spoke.

**Akira:** _…It’s about Akechi, ok?_

Goro Akechi. The atmosphere in the café soured almost instantly after that name was made itself heard. Rocksteady let out an irritated sigh through his nostrils and tightened the grip on the newspaper he likes to read quite often. Futaba heaved an almost inaudible annoyed groan. Haru’s face turned into a cold expression of hate for the detective. Ryuji was not as subtle as his companions as he groaned loudly and was the first one to break the silence.

**Ryuji:** _What about that murderous shitbag!?_

Even though with the clear amount of venom in his bro’s voice, Akira could understand him. And he knew they all were in their right to despise Akechi. After the blond boy nodded to him as a signal, Akira continued.

**Akira:** _I just… wanted to understand him. Listen, I know it’s no excuse. I mean, he killed Futaba’s mom, Haru’s dad. Hell, he tried to kill **me** …_

**Ann:** _…don’t forget all the people he killed before that._

**Haru:** _…and the people who he didn’t target directly during his assassinations._

Those statements cut him off. It was the truth though; Akechi has murdered too many people during these near-three years he worked for Shido he might be one of the most prolific serial killer of all of Japan, if not the whole world.

Still, the fact that Shido thought of his own son as nothing but a mere puppet was one of the reasons Akira and Rocksteady beaten his shadow with such a terrifying brutality. That moment is one Akira will NOT regret. Ever. But the fact they failed to save Akechi back in the engine room apparently had an effect on Akira.

With his voice still hitching a little, Akira kept speaking.

**Akira:** _Right; he did that, too… And all because he thought all that slaughter would help him in a half-assed plan he plotted in order to kill Shido. Even though he saved us in the end, it was too late for him; he caused too much damage thanks to all that hate and anger clouding his judgment._

There was an uncharacteristic doubt in Akira’s voice. Normally, Akira was the fearless leader, whose kindness and unshakable will made him a formidable ally as well as a force to be reckoned with. However, he was still a human. And like any other human, he had his moments of doubt, sadness and even fear. All of those being negative emotions every human being have to deal at some moment. Even though Akira knew his teammates would never think less of him for showing his weak side, he still has problems opening up to them in that way.

He is a bit more honest with Makoto about his insecurities, even though he still has a bit of work to do in order to improve in such characteristic of his personality.

Still doubtful, Akira takes another sip of his coffee and turns to his teammates.

**Akira:** _I just don’t get it… I know I might be wrong with feeling this. I mean, sure; he was a piece of shit, but… why does it affect me so much that he’s dead?_

The irritated expressions in Sojiro and the rest of the thieves were gradually being replaced with sympathetic expressions. They were not prepared for a conversation like this, but they couldn’t blame their leader for feeling like that at the moment. Just like Akira, Akechi was a teenager whose life was greatly damage because of Shido. However, their stories after that moment were completely different, especially after gaining the power of Persona.

Akechi decided to trust no one, thinking both Loki (a Persona born from his hate) and Robin Hood (a Persona born from his lies) were more than enough and used to his own selfish benefit which was getting revenge by murdering Shido. With no pone to confide on, Akechi roamed that path of darkness all by himself. Doomed to stay alone for the rest of his life; completely unable to fill that emotional void in his heart.

After the arrest that brought him to Tokyo, Akira was given the power of Persona as well. However, unlike Akechi, Akira’s power didn’t awake out of hate and a thirst for revenge and blood, no. Unlike Loki and Robin Hood, Arsene awoke because he knew saving that woman from Shido was everything but a mistake; and most important, his desire to help those who can’t help themselves. That caused him to meet all of his teammates and confidants who helped him find a place where he belongs.

…And falling in love as well.

As an attempt to ease his worries, Makoto gently took his hands on hers and gave them a soft, affectionate squeeze. 

**Makoto:** _Akira… you’re not doing wrong with feeling what you’re feeling right now._

**Akira:** _…really?_

**Ryuji:** _…she’s right, dude._

Akira turned to Ryuji whose expression clearly softened after hearing his bro explaining his worries. 

**Ryuji:** _Do you remember what the old rat told us some time ago? Ya know, about compassion?_

Akira silently nodded, clearly remembering what the mutant ghost told them about that matter.

**Sojiro:** _Oh yeah, Splinter. The rat-man Niijima-San and I met when you showed us the metaverse… What did he tell you back then?_

Tilting his head a little, the café owner scratched his head a little in confusion. Knowing this, the cat-like thief took his time to speak.

**Morgana:** _During an expedition in the Mementos, Splinter told us this: “There is no monster more dangerous than a lack of compassion”._

Sojiro just gazed at the group with an understanding expression as the rest of the thieves kept comforting their leader.

**Yusuke:** _Sometimes, even though is only in memory, even the worst people have some parts that are worth caring about… I know that quite too well…_

**Ryuji:** _That’s right, man. Can’t choose the people ya care about. And even I know this: you’re not wrong for still caring for that dick-headed jerk._

**Haru:** _The fact you’re still affected by what happened to Akechi-Kun only means you’re a compassionate person. And that compassion is an important part of you._

Akira could only look at his team with grey eyes wide and hidden behind his non-prescription glasses.

**Futaba:** _No lies detected! Just take me for example!_

He quickly turned his attention to his “little sister”, who was raising her right hand as much as she could.

**Futaba:** _I don’t understand it either. I still hate Akechi and I always will. But when I was alone, you were the only one who tried to help me – along with the others, of course – to heal my messed up heart. And it was thanks to your compassionate personality._

**Bebop:** _I think we’re another good example…_

Right as she finished, the mutant morons took their turn to join the emotional speech.

**Rocksteady:** _You knew what crimes we committed when we were forced to work for Shredder. And all the crimes we committed **before** that… comrade Bebop and I were the same kind of the nasty adults you dislikes so much!_

**Bebop:** _…and even then, YOU were the happiest to give us a chance when we wished to prove ourselves. YOU made us realize we didn’t wanna be heroes cuz of money or fame, but cuz is the right thing to do, dawg! I still feel sick when things get all sappy ‘n stuff. But ya know we mean it, Boss-Man._

**Rocksteady:** _Da! We is given new chance thanks to all of you, and we is not wasting it!_

Still not believing this, Akira could only ask while a strange sudden crimson covered his face.

**Akira:** _…so… You guys aren’t mad?_

Giggling at the rare moment of Akira blushing, Makoto took the opportunity to give a sweet kiss to his cheek.

**Makoto:** _Of course not, you dummy. We would never get mad at you for being compassionate. In fact, that compassion is what makes you, you. And we love you for who you are._

**Sojiro:** _Hell, actually… this world could use a little more of that these days._

Akira could only smile in relief at the moment. As said before, Akira Amamiya-Kurusu is just another human teenager. One who was forced to fight some of the worst humanity can offer.

And he turned into an intelligent, brave and reliable leader capable of more compassion and kindness than most people actually deserved. Sure, Sojiro and the other thieves will never forgive Akechi for what he did. But they will never begrudge or resent Akira for feel mercy towards the detective.

**Akira:** _…thanks, guys._

**Makoto:** _Anytime, Akira. Now, let’s go back to our dinner._

With a quick thankful peck on her lips, Akira returned to their small premature party. But right at the moment Akira took another sip of his coffee, he winced as he almost spat it.

**Akira:** _…aw, shit; it’s already cold!_

***@*@*@* _Four days later…*@*@*@*_**

****

****

****

A Buchimaru plus was sitting on the couch in the living room of the Niijima sisters’ apartment. The fluffy and huggable toy had a set of headphones on his head, listening safely to a marathon of Featherman R in Makoto’s laptop; all while completely unable to hear the action going on in Makoto’s bedroom.

Inside said bedroom, Akira was laying on Makoto’s bed with both lust and love in his eyes while Makoto was straddling his lap with his erection (properly enveloped by a condom, of course) inside her, taking turns between bouncing and rocking back and forth causing a friction deliciously familiar for the lovers. Makoto lean down a little to rest both of her hands on Akira’s shoulders while the thief leader had his gripping on her hips, giving her ass an affectionate squeeze as he thrusts his rod into her in a synchronized rhythm they knew thanks to all their experience in this subject. He even delivered a spank directly to her right gluteus with the exact force he knew to use; hard enough to sting, but not hard enough to hurt. That caused Makoto to bite her lip containing the desire to cry out for his name. Instead, she fully lean on him with both arms around his neck and drowned her moans of ecstasy in a deep passionate kiss with Akira.

Two days after they defeated Shido, the Phantom Thieves found out thanks to Ann about a womanizing jerk that was causing a lot of trouble and that many women became victims of him. Thanks to Bebop and Rocksteady, the thieves managed to plan a proper strategy to deal with him in Mementos and change his heart. The day after that, Akira and Makoto had a little date in her apartment since he was still hiding. The world still thought Akira Amamiya-Kurusu was dead. It was the usual: a little dinner, a small study session and cuddling in the couch watching one of those Yakuza movies Makoto loved so much. And last but not least, both lovers got Buchimaru out of Makoto’s bedroom and put him the headphones with the Featherman marathon so they share another type of “study session”.

With all the pleasure filling Makoto all at once, she finished with the force of crashing wave. Taking a few seconds for her senses to return, the brunette relaxed a little, sharing more kisses and nibbles with Akira as he was still slowly roaming his hands all over the back of her hair, her back and her ass. When Makoto cooled down enough, she gave Akira a familiar nod; the thief leader understood and carefully rolled over so he now was on top of her. He cupped her face with both hands, capturing her lips and tongue with his own and with that slow sensual pace in his thrusts, Akira manage to make his lover reach another orgasm as he finally released his seed in the condom while their tongues sensually danced during the aftermath of that passionate episode.

**Akira:** _…hey, can I confess you something?_

Makoto slowly gaze upwards, directly to Akira’s steely eyes. They were still lying on Makoto’s bed, tangled in an intimate embrace with only the sheets covering their modesty. Leaning on Akira’s chest, Makoto had her right hand caressing the slash scar on his pectorals and her left around Akira’s neck. The thief leader had his right hand around her middle back and his left caressing between her tight and her butt. Makoto was quick to realize the intimacy and the pleasure after that especially intimate moment made Akira comfortable enough to share a secret with her.

**Makoto:** _You know you can trust me with anything. Do tell._

As a little extra encouragement, she gave Akira a sweet peck on his jawline. With a deep, comfortable hum, Akira spoke up.

**Akira:** _A few days before we fought Sae-San’s shadow… Akechi and I had a little duel in the Metaverse._

**Makoto:** _…you and Akechi fought!?_

Without breaking the embrace, Makoto gasped clearly shocked for such a sudden statement. She was sincerely surprised for just finding out her lover and the detective had a duel in Mementos. Still, she decided that instead of prying on the matter; she would let Akira keep speaking.

**Akira:** _…once we were in Kichijoji, Akechi promised me that fi I defeated him in billiards while he was using his right hand, he would fight me with everything he’s got…_

**Makoto:** _…and you though he was talking about billiards…?_

**Akira:** _…yes, yes I was._

The young man was quite surprised when Akechi asked him to go with him to Mementos, just the two of them. And even more when the duel he suggested where he would give everything he’s got would be in a battle as Phantom Thieves. Still, even though it was a short one, the battle was pretty interesting. Crow’s Kougaon, Eigaon, Megaton Raid and Megidolaon were dangerous techniques, not to mention his skills with his laser sword and his gun. Still, Joker quickly managed to telegraph his attacks so he could easily dodge them and launch a powerful counter-attack.

Moving his hand from Makoto’s tight to her right breast, he kept explaining while gently kneading on it.

**Akira:** _After we finished and got out, Akechi confessed to me without any hesitation that he hated me for my “uniqueness, deft handling of unfortunate circumstances and my ability to easily surpass him” and that I was the last person he would **ever** lose to. Hell, he even told me he was practically jealous because I have the other thieves, Sojiro and a beautiful, brave and brilliant lover like you. _

With a hint of mischief in his voice, Akira gave an affectionate peck at the top of her head and an affectionate squeeze to her breast, causing Makoto to let out a cute “Eep” while her face was being colored in scarlet. After taking a few seconds to recover from the blush, Makoto gazed at Akira’s eyes again and moved her right hand from his scarred chest to gently cup his face cheek.

**Makoto:** _I can imagine he was having trouble hiding the envy when he said that to you._

**Akira:** _Right after that, he threw one of his gloves to me and told me there was some sort of tradition in the west that said when you do that, you’re demanding that other person to a duel. If you catch the glove, it means challenge accepted._

Makoto hummed in understanding as the pieces in her head fell in the right place.

**Makoto:** _…you accepted Akechi’s duel, didn’t you?_

Akira didn’t respond immediately. Instead, he just hummed with a hint of sadness a few seconds before answering.

**Akira:** _After what happened to him in Shido’s palace, I was conflicted. I didn’t know if I wanted to keep my promise with Akechi or just resign and move forward. But when we accessed the palace again to finally defeat Shido, I had already made my choice… And one of my new Personae was a clear proof of that choice._

**Makoto:** _…Metatron._

Akira gave a soft affirmative nod. Metatron; “The Voice of God” as well as Sandalphon’s twin brother. Just right before fighting Shido’s shadow, Akira created Metatron and sacrificed him to gain his powerful Nataraja gun. After summoning again, Akira decided to keep him in his rooster as his Bless specialist. Which turned out to be a very wise choice as he proved himself to be a powerful ally against Shido’s Beast and Tomb of Human Sacrifices; his spells were quick to decimate both unholy structures.

**Makoto:** _Allow me to guess, but… what are you saying is that Metatron, your new gun and that glove are there to remind you of that promise with Akechi, even if you don’t know you’ll ever see him again. Am I right?_

**Akira:** _Correct answer as always, my Queen._

The thief leader gave his girlfriend a sweet peck on the lips as a little reward for that right answer. It was clear for Makoto that keeping such promise was important for Akira, even if Akechi’s fate remained unclear after their encounter in the engine room.

But Makoto knew this was very important and personal for Akira so she knew what to do about that. With the determinate crimson eyes of Queen, she locked eyes with Akira’s and kept caressing his cheek.

**Makoto:** _Akira, I want you to know something._

**Akira:** _…I’m listening._

**Makoto:** _I want you to know that I understand why you were affected by Akechi’s disappearance and why you made that promise for him. And I want you to know that whether we see him again or not… I’ll be there supporting you along with the others, no matter what._

Akira could only smile in delight after seeing Makoto would back him up with his promise. He quickly gave Makoto a deep, grateful kiss which she quickly returned with gusto and lasted for a few seconds before pulling back for the sake of air.

**Akira:** _Thanks, Makoto; for staying with me all the time._

**Makoto:** _…anytime, my Joker._

With a sudden yawn escaping Makoto’s mouth, Akira knew it was time to go to sleep. With a sweet goodnight kiss, both lovers prepared themselves for their trip to dreamland.

Akira had an especially happy and peaceful smile on his face. Because even though it was unknown if he would ever see Akechi again, he knew he wasn’t alone in case he would have to fight him. For the detective and his Persona Loki will be facing Akira and Metatron’s divine fury…

…and Makoto and the other thieves will be at Akira’s side, support him just like he did for them.

**Author's Note:**

> According to Google Translator:
> 
> (1*) Gamer Over, Prime Minister...
> 
> (2*) You've destroyed their lives!


End file.
